The GOP’s Anti-Muslim Wing Is in Retreat

It’s funny that they are banned at Weyrich luncheons because many of the people responsible for leading the Muslim bashing charge are protege’s of Weyrich’s Heritage foundation, FCF, and other theocrat nationalist groups that he spun up on the right.

But after a November election that saw three of the party’s loudest voices on “creeping Shariah” defeated—and the GOP presidential nominee ignore the issue entirely—the anti-Islam movement within the Republican party may have peaked. Wary of further alienating a once-promising conservative constituency, mainstream Republican leaders have sought, publicly and behind closed doors, to distance themselves from the loudest of the Muslim-bashers in their midst.

“They have gotten a bit of bad odor,” says GOP powerbroker Grover Norquist, who has pushed to change his party’s tone on Islam.

Randa Fahmy Hudome, a former Bush administration official, Washington lobbyist, and prominent Muslim Republican, notes: “There is a self-policing factor in the Republican Party, when some members get a little off base on some of these issues. That’s the state of play right now.”

A turning point came in July, when Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), along with four Republican colleagues, signed a letter demanding an investigation into the Muslim Brotherhood’s supposed infiltration of the State Department. The letter singled out a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Huma Abedin. Bachmann and her colleagues, deploying tenuous evidence and guilt-by-association, charged that Abedin should not have been given a security clearance because of alleged ties to Muslim radicals.

Days later, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) had condemned Bachmann’s letter from the floor of the Senate, calling it “unwarranted and unfounded” and “scurrilous.” Speaker of the House John Boehner piled on, calling the letter “dangerous.” The chair of the House intelligence committee, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), emphasized to USA Today that though she served on his committee, Bachmann’s allegations did not have the committee’s imprimatur. Sen. Marco Rubio, the Florida senator and tea party favorite widely touted as a potential 2016 contender, publicly denounced the allegations promoted by Bachmann and her allies, like former Reagan official and longtime anti-Shariah activist Frank Gaffney.

Behind the scenes, GOPers worked to smooth over hurt feelings. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), who in 2007 became the chamber’s first-ever Muslim member, says several Republican House members quietly approached him to apologize for the Abedin episode. Norquist, who runs the influential group Americans for Tax Reform, says that following the letter controversy, “We have heard back from a bunch of Hill staffers—‘We are keeping our guy away from Gaffney and those guys, they’re crazy.’”

Gaffney has been blacklisted from the American Conservative Union, which hosts the annual CPAC confab, since 2011, after accusing Norquist and an associate, Suhail Khan, of aiding the Muslim Brotherhood. He’s also become persona non grata at the Weyrich lunches, the weekly consevative strategy sessions first initiated by the late social conservative guru Paul Weyrich.

"Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), who in 2007 became the chamber’s first-ever Muslim member, says several Republican House members quietly approached him to apologize for the Abedin episode."

To me that sounds like the most heartening part of this story. Public apologies from politicians are always suspect. When the wrong-doer apologizes personally and privately then there's no political benefit and they probably sincerely feel bad.

It was also heartening to read that Frank Gaffney was declared persona non grata at the Weyrich lunches and has been blacklisted by the American Conservative Union. With any luck, this latest outburst of insane bigotry is winding down, though the usual suspects will continue to peddle their BS.

"Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), who in 2007 became the chamber’s first-ever Muslim member, says several Republican House members quietly approached him to apologize for the Abedin episode."

To me that sounds like the most heartening part of this story. Public apologies from politicians are always suspect. When the wrong-doer apologizes personally and privately then there's no political benefit and they probably sincerely feel bad.

Yes and no. It can also mean that they're afraid to come out publicly to denounce it, lest they offend some of the "base." Reminds me when a "compassionate conservative" / Dubya-style friend of mine attracted racist comments by his usual greek chorus on a facebook post. Rather than calling them out in the comments, he purposely chose to private message them, lest he show a crack in party unity.

But after a November election that saw three of the party’s loudest voices on “creeping Shariah” defeated—and the GOP presidential nominee ignore the issue entirely—the anti-Islam movement within the Republican party may have peaked.

All of which is undeniable and incontrovertible proof of how entrenched and insidious is the demonic and destructive force of creeping shariah. //

Thanks for posting this. While I'm happy to hear it, I'm with Ellison:

"I think it's a little too early to tell whether the tide has changed or not," says Ellison, the Minnesota Democrat. The GOP crusade against Islam has "certainly stalled. Will it [flare] up again or will it continue to stall or maybe decline, I don't know that."

Doing the right thing because it's politically expedient isn't exactly a laudable thing, and the choice can be all too quickly changed based on whichever direction the wind is blowing.

I don't buy Rep. Sue Myrick's supposed change of heart either. She spends a couple of years spewing venomous lies and then claims it was because of "bad advice"? WTF? She has no personal responsibility for any of it? She's not an adult with a brain? She wasn't able to discern that what she was doing was wrong? What a load of crap.

Yes and no. It can also mean that they're afraid to come out publicly to denounce it, lest they offend some of the "base." Reminds me when a "compassionate conservative" / Dubya-style friend of mine attracted racist comments by his usual greek chorus on a facebook post. Rather than calling them out in the comments, he purposely chose to private message them, lest he show a crack in party unity.

THIS. The politicians in question didn't bat an eye when it came to publicly condoning anti-Muslim bigotry, fear mongering with all the ridiculous anti-Sharia legislation, and in some cases flat out calling for American Muslims' constitutional rights to be abrogated.

They want to apologize in private? Fine, that's great, but I'm not believing anyone has had a sincere change of heart until they publicly proclaim that they were wrong and make a real effort to undo some of the damage they did.

THIS. The politicians in question didn't bat an eye when it came to publicly condoning anti-Muslim bigotry, fear mongering with all the ridiculous anti-Sharia legislation, and in some cases flat out calling for American Muslims' constitutional rights to be abrogated.

They want to apologize in private? Fine, that's great, but I'm not believing anyone has had a sincere change of heart until they publicly proclaim that they were wrong and make a real effort to undo some of the damage they did.

Agree. They basically engage in a witchhunt of American Muslims. I'm glad some of them apologized to Ellison but that's the least they can do.

Now party just has to suppress the granny starving, theocratic, debt-defaulting Tea Party crowd, the granny starving, debt-defaulting Aynn Randbots, the Birchers and other nazi black hating scum and the mad scientist, electrified wand up the vagina, legitimate-rape anti-birth control freaks and they'll have rejoined the human race.

Now party just has to suppress the granny starving, theocratic, debt-defaulting Tea Party crowd, the granny starving, debt-defaulting Aynn Randbots, the Birchers and other nazi black hating scum and the mad scientist, electrified wand up the vagina, legitimate-rape anti-birth control freaks and they'll have rejoined the human race.

Good luck Republicans, we know you can do it! //

If they suppress that many folks, your average Republican wouldn't even be able to get elected as municipal dog-catcher. You've just listed a good 75% of the GOP base.

THIS. The politicians in question didn't bat an eye when it came to publicly condoning anti-Muslim bigotry, fear mongering with all the ridiculous anti-Sharia legislation, and in some cases flat out calling for American Muslims' constitutional rights to be abrogated.

They want to apologize in private? Fine, that's great, but I'm not believing anyone has had a sincere change of heart until they publicly proclaim that they were wrong and make a real effort to undo some of the damage they did.

What use of bigotry for votes has the GOP ever apologized for in public? They still owe an apology for the Southern Strategy.

What use of bigotry for votes has the GOP ever apologized for in public? They still owe an apology for the Southern Strategy.

I actually do remember Ken Mehlman sort of apologizing for that but then as you probably recall Limbaugh got pissed. It really is pathetic.We're going to hear years from now that the GOP candidates by and large didn't give two shits about gays marrying and having equal rights but they did it anyhow. To me frankly that's a greater sin than the sincere bigotry.